I own a small business and need connection for both our internet as well as voice traffic. Does anyone know what bandwidth provider or speed I should look into for this?

We (XO Communications) can provide an integrated (Voice and Data) solution that is cost effective. Please email me for more details or call me at 303-539-1019.

Additionally, other companies you could look at would include Cbeyond, Integra, Qwest, MegaPath, Paetec and/or any number of local Voice/Data providers.

Also, please understand that unless you choose the local provider all Carriers will be forced to buy the local connection (Loop) from the Local provider (think Verizon, ATT or Qwest). This makes everyone just about the same from a pricing perspective. As far as quality services go, there are a number of blog sites out there that will give you good and bad about every provider. My advice is to find someone who 1) understands your business 2) is knowledgeable about telecommunications and 3) you feel comfortable with.

Thanks and good luck!

A lot depends here on what size your business is, and where you are based.

For a small business with 1 - 5 employees, a 2MB connection should be enough for this purpose (though make sure to prioritise voice traffic on your network) if it's just standard internet browsing and a low volume voice.

But as with all these things, nobody has a "standard" of use for a small business, you are best talking to a telecoms broker if there's one local to you, who will look to set you up with the right plan from multiple suppliers. If not, then do it the hard way, talk to all your local telcos and get them to quote, then pick the right deal for you.

Hi Joanna-

I'm both a small business owner and former VP of Marketing for Speakeasy (a Best Buy company). I use Speakeasy's hosted VoIP service at two business locations. In one location, Speakeasy VoIP runs over Comcast, in the other, it runs over Speakeasy DSL. I have been thoroughly pleased with the quality, features, and technical support - which I rarely require - of the Speakeasy offering. And for the sake of full disclosure (getting into FCC compliance early!), I'm neither a stockholder in Best Buy nor a paid commentator on behalf of Speakeasy.

Good luck in your search!

Tom

Hey Joanna,

It depends on the area you are in, however we have noticed that most of our small business clients are able to use a standard small business internet connection from Comcast which is pretty reliable, has a good upload/download speed, and is cheaper than any intensive connection.

In our area (Chicago Metropolitan-Area), Comcast on average experiences 3-4 down times a year. That's only 1% downtime. However, it is easy to implement a cable internet line, and a DSL line as a backup for any kind of failure. This way, your phones are able to continue working, even if your cable internet goes out.

Any questions, feel free to give me a call. It is sometimes important to note exactly how many phones/computer stations you have, the modem/server setup you have, and of course your location.

Warm Regards,

Jeff Shusterich
ZigZap Technologies
312-348-5160 ex 106